


Pieces Not Meant To Fit Together

by NeverA_Waste



Category: Pocket Monsters: Sword & Shield | Pokemon Sword & Shield Versions
Genre: F/M, Female Trainer - Freeform, Leon isn't into underaged people, POV Changes, Slow Burn, canon divergent ages, from the beginning to six years post game, includes postgame spoilers, she's 20 and Leon's 24 when feelings start being mutual, some slightly angsty trainer/Hop scenes but Hop won't be destroyed
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-11-27
Updated: 2019-12-14
Packaged: 2021-02-18 07:27:51
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 12,417
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21590734
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/NeverA_Waste/pseuds/NeverA_Waste
Summary: Well, Wooloo already filled in for Hop's dream of becoming champion, but that was okay! -Wooloo as in his rival. Lee stopped the nasty media from labeling his and Wooloo's struggle over the champion's throne as The King Versus The Queen. Lee's and her's rivalry over the title, to be clear. He wasn't worried about fading into obscurity! No, not that part.But more importantly, something big was coming! Again.
Relationships: Trainer/Leon
Comments: 15
Kudos: 23





	1. Prologue

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm closing the age gap a bit! It's a four year difference between Leon and the mc, and on top of that she started her journey late. (Hop is a year younger than her so the brothers are five years apart). Just want to be clear that I'm warping things here to suit the ship - so the trainer won't look as young as the in game model when they get together, since she'll be twenty. On that note too I don't know if they have canon ages or not.

The sheep Pokémon baa'd in Wooloo's face. She screamed and Hop couldn't feel bad for laughing.

"Did- you, did it- really come from that ball?"

"Yeah, it did!"

"But how?" the girl got up from her backwards fall. It stung more than Hop's laughter which didn't register at all as possibly mean. (He realized a bit late that he should've offered her a hand up, noting Lee would have told him it was the right thing to do.)

"I tried explaining it to you," he complained, "I don't actually really remember it now. But we've proven for ourselves that it works and that's good enough, right! I'm just so excited to have him!"

Wooloo watched her friend full-body cling to the hidden neck of the Pokémon: maybe he was slightly exaggerating, it was hard to tell. A child wanting to prove that he would cherish what he'd been asking for for so long and had finally recieved. The Pokémon cried out again and Wooloo responded in like as she had the first time. Without falling over this time.

Hop laughed again, though his concern quickly came through, "does it really scare you that much?"

"No.."

She really didn't sound so sure. It took him a moments pause of consideration. "Hey, do you know why I got him?" Hop let go of his new Pokémon and came up to his nervous friend as he spoke, "because his name is Wooloo!"

"What, who named him that?"

"Nobody! I guess. His name was already Wooloo when I got him. And he's not the only one! Come on, I'll show you!" she had nothing but a confused stare on her face when Hop clutched one of her hands to lead her; though he stopped in his tracks and fumbled to hold his Pokéball one-handedly. It was moreso cradled along his forearm. He then apologetically called out to his Pokémon, "you have to get back in here now. Sorry!"  
He would have normally wanted to keep his new companion out but he hadn't expected his friend to be so terrified of it. (Granted, they were only nine and ten. Speaking of which...)

"I'm gonna go on a Pokémon adventure soon, so that's why I needed him! Come on," the way he tied those thoughts in together, his friend began fretting that they were going on an adventure immediately.

However, he just ended up leading her to some of the wild grass. "Shhh," he hushed, holding his arm up to bar her from walking in to it, "like this," and he crouched low. Wooloo did her best to exactly mirror him right down to the way he had his arms suspended.

She saw one of those yellow dogs and gasped, "those are the wild puppies my mom warned me about." She'd seen another kid get chased by one and tried anxiously cheering for them while keeping her distance. And thankfully things had worked out! But now they were so close to it and it seemed..like it was just wandering around.

"Yup, they're called Yampers. But I want to show you the Wooloo," an excitement burned in his eyes so she just nodded. Maybe a bit of anticipation stirred within Wooloo as well as they looked out across the grass. She was only half aware of the pedestrians walking past a scene that was very normal to them.

When she saw the familiar white wool, she whispered, "there," in such taken aback awe...

They lived in a moment of muted noises. Everything felt quiet and so concentrated on her new fascination. Hop glanced at her but she was too transfixed to notice and return it. So they both went back to Pokéwatching. "I asked my mom why you weren't on your Pokémon journey yet, since you're already ten," Hop suddenly began, "and, I think I've finally realized why. You just need a friend to help you with it."

In truth, Wooloo had just been very sheltered. She remembered always living in Postwick, but this was their second house. Their first one was smaller and...crumbly. For some reason. Her mother hadn't gone into the details, but Wooloo remembered her house suddenly being collapsed, and them moving in to another house shortly after. It took her awhile to come up with this theory: maybe a herd of Wooloo had accidentally rolled it over and, as a result, the town had paid for them to get a new house. It made sense to a degree.

She was just suddenly in a more secluded house with only one neighbouring house. And one boy inside who immediately wanted to befriend her. Like it was a mission he'd always had, to make friends with whoever moved in.

And he was so welcoming. He wanted to share everything with her, from knowledge to items. Wooloo never wondered where he got the information from. Hop just had a small tidbit each week to tell her about Pokémon.

That had all been only in words until he'd recieved his Wooloo, his Pokémon. After that, Hop was like a light bouncing off multiple mirrors: an accumulation of Pokésmarts that needed to find the way out, a way to combine his all into one journey.

Then he was eleven. If Wooloo was remembering right, he'd said ten was the age to go (which she was seriously starting to miss here at her age of twelve). "Why haven't you headed out yet? Wooloo, I can help you with anything you need!" She smiled with a 'yeah that's true' dismissive shrug. She was getting really confused here and frankly dreaded the notion of leaving on her own. So why wasn't Hop embarking on it?

"He became Champion..." Huh? "Last year- it's old news!" Hop clarified when he saw Wooloo starting to fret, probably thinking this meant there'd be a big celebration. "At fifteen," that part was muttered. Wooloo was just going to hide her confusion from here on out. "So! I'm not jealous," he laughed and elbowed her, "I just saw it as an opportunity to get an endorsement from the Champion himself! Yes, I'm an opportunity taker!"

Now Wooloo could tell he was being lighthearted and she snickered, "and you're proud of that?"

"Yes! Wooloo! Do you know how big it would be to get the Champion's endorsement?! I'd be the first one! Yeah, I haven't given up on it yet. I'll hold off on my journey and-" his voice simmered down as he directly addressed her, but of course he was still very intense, "you can feel free to join me!"

Was this him letting her off the hook for procrastinating? Probably not but she was already taking it, nodding enthusiastically. "We'll show him!" she cheered, content to not even know who she was referring to. The Champion of course!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A Champion's Time: The Champion makes time for his younger brother! And remembers to be mindful to bring something back for Hop's friend too.


	2. A Champion's Time

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> To try avoiding repeating what the game's already put out there, most dialogues are gonna be glossed over and you can count on time skipping for most parts that happen in the game. Specifically the next chapter because otherwise this won't be going far!

Leon rolled his slightly stiff shoulders; Heavy cape...Hm.

He wasn't wearing it right now. Instead, he was otherwise dressed from earlier and looking down at his bed with three Pokéballs laid out. Was this alright? Hop had kind of sprung it on him that his friend would also be expecting a gift. Sure, he had three, but something still was eating away at him. It would at least be a test of Hop's manners! He'd feel bad if Hop's friend picked out the Pokémon Hop himself wanted, but Leon would give him an earful if he didn't let his friend pick first.

The time for spending on contemplation was up, and Leon gathered the starters and completed his look off with his cape.

Flying taxis were a blessing but for sure Leon would get things mixed up somehow. He'd already done it once where he told the driver he wanted to go west: the driver said sure, but to which place. And then he spent awhile staring at a map and picked out the wrong destination in the end (he wanted to get to Circhester, which was not to the west).

Now he tried to use the linear train whenever he could. There weren't too many ways it could deviate from the one railway track, right?

There was guaranteed to be people waiting back in Wedgehurst, knowing he liked to go back to his hometown after exhibition matches now and then. When his schedule allowed. Maybe a flying taxi would prevent the crowd but he really didn't hate it! Now he just went thirty minutes earlier! While people were expecting him to be taking a half hour break, he was really just resting his Pokémon and his shoulders for a bit then immediately getting good to go.

Well, it had originally worked out. But now Hop knew to arrive thirty minutes earlier. Leon was made aware of this after making a big speech when he saw a waving hand. Hop's hand.

They could have played it up for the audience. Everyone would appreciate a big brother figure who cares about his younger sibling, and maybe Hop would want to suck up to his brother in hopes of gaining that endorsement. Yet it naturally unfolded. Maybe the general audience could have been fooled either way, but Wooloo standing right beside them understood it to be genuine.

She was just pleasantly smiling, idling, when Leon gave her attention. She kinda forgot she was 'present' in this and missed a piece of what he'd said to her. "I've got it! You must be Wooloo–am I right?" all she could do was offer an affirmative hum. And she almost said 'you must be the Champion' before realizing it would denote her slow nature!

"I've heard loads about you from my little brother."

At Wooloo's loud shock, Hop chimed in, "come on, you should've expected as much, you're my friend! Afraid of what I might've said?" His teasing brought out a choppy noise from Wooloo: like a bleet; that, topped off with her platinum blonde hair...how fitting could her name truly be?

"Hop," Leon called out, tsk'ing his younger brother. Of course no one truly minded Hop's energetic commentary, but for the sake of turning back to the mock introduction!

Leon just gave his brother a wide smile when he glanced over with a "what?". When he looked back at Wooloo, she also had a similar smile and Hop relented with an, "ah geez," able to tell his friend would get a kick out of any banter between the brothers. So he wouldn't oblige her! His own relaxed grin came back, tenfold when Leon began talking again.

"It's nice to meet you at last. I'm the Galar region's greatest-ever Pokémon Champion–and a massive Charizard fan, too. People call me the unbeatable Leon!"

She'd come to know who the Champion was since that time two years ago. (Really, Wooloo might not have realized how big of a deal this was, to meet him one on one–despite his own impressive introduction using words like greatest and unbeatable.) Yet, he didn't simply assume his title would proceed him. Alternatively, he could have just liked the sound of his accomplishments stacked up like that.

"Alright alright! Lee! And you, Wooloo! Bet I can beat the both of you back home!"

Their time in front of a live audience was coming to an end. And Wooloo didn't mind.

Leon made a heartfelt general promise to them first though, that he felt it to be his number one goal to make sure everyone was having a champion of a time...then he was off! In her surprise, she saw Hop had actually waited for Leon but neither waited for her! Still, she gave it her all knowing full well she could have competed with Hop–but given her disadvantage, for the final stretch she stopped her sprint. In a comfortable jog, she watched the playfulness between the two.

Leon had let Hop keep pace until that point, in which he used his longer legs to their full capacity. He was there in time to do a full turn around and "ha!" at Hop.

Which suited Hop just fine since he used his dwindling sprint to ram at Leon, lightly winding the guy, "let's have at those Pokémon! You brought us some, didn't you? Or did you forget them? Your biggest enemy is yourself, after all, unbeatable Lee!"

"They're here alright. They had a special place in my pocket so they already understand the concept of luxury. Keep that in mind."

"Ha, sure!"

"Where's your friend?"

"Right here of course!" Hop titled his shoulder back towards her. He knew she could keep up.

"Alright! How did you know I was bringing Pokémon?" Leon wondered out loud as he reached for the Pokéballs.

"Because you're so predictable! Right, Wooloo?"

"I had no idea what to expect. You were mentioning a Snorlax..."

"A Snorlax?" he quirked a brow at Hop, "really now?"

"Don't listen to her! Always trying to use my words against me," Hop rustled her hair into a mess, knocking off her hat. Before Leon could react in shock, Wooloo graciously returned the favour.

"Well, thankfully the greatest Champion chose to bring the greatest gift today–water, fire, and grass starters!" He let the devices fall in an array, which released three new and very unique creatures.

"Woah! That's not predictable at all!...I only meant it in a good way," Hop amended when Leon so much as looked in his direction.

Leon could have commented on that. But he noticed Wooloo had been watching the three Pokémon lowkey excitedly, all three falling into silly little antics. "Are you drawn to one?"

At Wooloo's loss of words, Hop added, "yeah, go on! I've already got a really good Pokémon on my team! Normal type isn't weak to any of these guys, so whichever one you like," Hop 'mysteriously' foreshadowed.

"This one," Sobble looked at her with big watery eyes.

"The water-type, Sobble? That one has a very sincere look about it! An ability to adapt to anything, as surely as water flows."

"Definitely this one, " Wooloo corrected when the Sobble made a cute little noise at her, reaching its tiny arms that shook from the stretch. Realizing it had been chosen, the Sobble jumped lightly, suddenly on-the-job. It noticed something and darted for it, coming back to Wooloo with her hat that had fallen off earlier.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sobble, Drizzile, Inteleon: The trainer finds her child going through various phases!


	3. Sobble, Drizzile, Inteleon

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I couldn't for the life of me remember when the evolutions typically happen so I did my best! Also if you're still reading, thanks for getting this far! This is all because of https://youtu.be/_Ni6w-1DVJ4 (from 0:19 seconds in) this Wild Area theme specifically! It played during rain and I had this imagery of this ship having a cliché kiss in the rain with incredibly green trees around them.  
> Last note: If anyone'd like to volunteer their Pokémons to be part of her team, that would be awesome! (I'd probably just need their name, gender, and what they are)

'Come on!' Hop mentally tried to manifest the encouragement to his friend. It definitely showed up in his body language. She was making the most difficult face, like she could start sweating from the strain any minute. Their dynamic here was weird from an outside perspective, but internally it was the beginnings of a new rivalry. Or so Hop had declared a few sentences ago.

And Leon watched.

The foreshadowing hadn't been for nothing. Wooloo just couldn't fathom it, or stubbornly refused to. She'd made it to fourteen years staying home, blissfully oblivious! As much as her mind had been changed about Pokémon by Hop over the years of their friendship, she didn't want to see the creatures fight. Also how would she win against this kid genious? He was the teacher and she the student!

'Wooloo's made fast friends with her Sobble, too' he'd said. When she'd excitedly talked to Hop about it the next morning, she'd only meant they played together with the Purrloin toy she'd nabbed from him during the barbeque last night. What was it again, him talking about some intense Champion training?–and despite this she whimpered out a "yes" with all the pain she believed she'd be subjecting her Sobble to really soon.

"Believe in your partner Pokémon! And care for them, too, with all your heart."

That felt so ominous, of course she cared for her Sobble! 

Her ears proved useless because the next thing she picked up on was Leon saying to have a champion time before it was cut out by Hop's excited shouting.

They moved to the smallest court: no, it was even amazing that Hop's family had a court to begin with. And Wooloo had no scale of reference. "And you're going to watch?" She needlessly confirmed after Leon took his stance between the two, hands on his hips.

"Seems so. It's exciting to see Pokémon trainers take on their first opponent."

"Even though we're older than most newbies!" Hop helpfully interjected. That must have been a jab at Leon.

"Your match should equal your pre-show confidence!" Leon challenged. And Wooloo felt dragged into it.

It was Wooloo against Pokémon trainer Hop. She heard the smack of his free hand hitting the red and white device. What she didn't expect was for her counter to pop out of it. Hop's Wooloo.

"Oh I'm confident! I've seen all of Lee's matches, and read every book and magazine he's left behind at home, too!"

He was addressing all this to Wooloo who nervously swallowed. She brought out her Pokéball, giving it a little love tap in mirror to whatever Hop had done, and it was no surprise to anyone when her Sobble emerged. "Oh! Wait, is that how you learned everything?"

Hop took a moment of confusion before he responded loudly, "uh huh, I'm self-taught!" He hardly missed the beat. "And I've got two Pokémon partners with me! Think you can handle it?"

"Yes!" she shouted back in a mostly divided voice. For some reason, she'd felt this option to run. Logically, it wouldn't have done anything other than confuse the brothers–but it was the determined look in Hop's eyes that made her stay put.

While she was dallying, Hop commanded his Wooloo to use tackle! Oh, they were already in battle! She shook with worry and her Pokémon looked back at her. Right, he was counting on her for directions!

"Tide, use pound!" She saw her Pokémon return the hit it had taken, though perhaps it did more damage than Hop's?

"Wooloo, tackle again! You're weakening your opponent!"

"Tide!" She hollered, seeing the blow come in. It didn't seem to notice and took the hit. Or maybe her Sobble just didn't know his own name yet. If he kept taking the full hit, it wouldn't end good, "Tide, use growl!"

The opposing Wooloo blep'd questioningly in return. It went to attack again upon Hop's command, but it dealt less damage now.

"Pound, Tide!" She exclaimed in excitement–and it was a critical hit!

"Count on the Wooloo who gets the critical hit to be on the opposite team," Hop jokingly lamented, "but it's not over until I say it is!"

"Huh?" Wooloo exclaimed, accidentally ignoring Hop, "you learned something new? Huh..?" She got the feeling that when people said they talked to Pokémon...that there was some translation that just had to be guessed. But she couldn't remember what moves Sobble would unlock! She'd done some research last night but now she felt foolish, unable to understand her Pokémon due to the moves slipping her mind. But she had no choice but to cram! And she didn't take the foreshadowing of a battle too seriously!

"Go, Scorbunny!"

"Tide, use pound!"

"Use tackle!"

The blows hit one after the other. She could sense that her Sobble was in a pinch!

"Listen to your Pokémon," Leon guided her. Which Hop jostled at in his amped up state.

"Hey! Foul on judge for picking sides!"

"I want you both to succeed."

"I bet!"

She was in a pinch herself! Truly, it didn't seem like Pokémon could fluently speak their mind! She'd need to remember...

"You have to wait for your opponent anyways, don't you?"

"Do I! Wait, is that a rule?"

"Tide," she said decidedly, getting Hop's immediate attention, "use water gun!"

"Did you already know about type advantages?!" Hop hopelessly called as he saw the water hit his Scorbunny. Depleting the remainder of its health. He quickly brought his fainted Pokémon back into its Pokéball to offer some minor rest. "No way..You and your Sobble have already become quite a handful!"

She smiled with fervor. Something in her mind must have been changed once again.

That was when Leon seemed to come to a revelation. In which he wanted to take back his former worries. What were they anyways? Nothing more than a feeling when Hop had mentioned this friend of his also needing a gift. Maybe it was never a bad feeling. It just slotted together right now, honestly, when he considered there were three of them and three starters. It seemed he'd gotten the grass type counter to Wooloo's Pokémon! Yes, he was going to have one starter to focus on training and it was royally fitting.

What? Tide is evolving!

A few days out on her journey and she did it! She had a beautiful victory against a high level Onix in the wild area and her whole team was reaping the benefits.

By design of being her first Pokémon, Tide cried for her attention right after the fight.

Wooloo cried out back, but in a wholly thrilled way. He began glowing: this must be evolution!

The dirt covered girl started making all kinds of noises of exclamation. Maybe just driven to big reactions by her tiring days toughing it out in the wild.

Like she was cheering him on, Tide transformed in the height of her hype. And became-!

"Tide!" She cradled him in her arms.

-why was he so distant looking?! His gigantic eyes- no, EYE, became lidded with disinterest? His other was completely covered!

He tiredly swept his pupil up to meet Wooloo's eyes when she pulled back from the hug and she almost apologized.

She still adored him! When she first saw those sad eyes, she thought she could evolve him into a more confident self, but now...if she sent him into battle, she'd feel like a mom dragging a reluctant teen out there.

After getting Tide back into his housing, she fidgeted around the very empty space. Actually...maybe she should set up camp! It was about time for her Pokémon to rest up.

She could occassionally feel the strength growing in her former noodle arms, gaining efficiency when she set up her camp faster and faster. Though, from the frequency and back to back camping Wooloo had been doing, she was mainly feeling the soreness.

Tide and the rest of her party were unleashed into their campgrounds. Alright.

Later into the curry, Wooloo meekly rubbed at the grime on her face. Instead of thinking about her evident new wilderness lifestyle, she'd only been thinking about this new evolution situation. She finished up her sweet salad curry (which herself and her Pokémon would only be able to give 2 stars).

She was calling Hop before long.

"Hello!" Hop hollered, Wooloo echoed the greeting. They got a second in before he was physically moved back by the image of the girl he saw on the other end, "Woah-oh! Have you been putting in a lot of work out there?

"Mh," Wooloo hummed, "enough that Tide evolved."

"My team is falling a bit behind then!" Hop rubbed at the back of his head. "Well good on you! Don't think this means you're gonna be pulling any one-hits on my team!"

"That's something the Champion does in his battles. Isn't it?"

"Righto! Also, quit calling Lee by his title and his title only! You've met him!"

"I don't want to call him by anything else."

"Say it! Come on!" his joking had Wooloo laughing and flustered, "next time you talk to him, I expect you to say his name! Or just in front of me?"

"I-if you beat me!"

Congratulations! Your Tide evolved into Inteleon!

Wooloo met Cinderace in battle. It didn't seem like Hop was falling behind! Or, not as much as he kept making it out to be like...she didn't know what to say after defeating him once more; after Bede defeated him. Wasn't it alright to lose?

Oh, her Sobble had reached his final form awhile back! He finally grew out of, what she will always know as, a phase. Though she felt a bit sheepish upon learning that was just the form all Drizziles took. She...was finally starting to utilize her Pokédex a bit better. It wouldn't be good to admit, but through all her victories and zero defeats, Wooloo had always gone by instinct–in contrast to Hop. But, it really couldn't hurt that much to lose, could it?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Unbeatable Champion, Undefeated Challenger: The trainer can't imagine what it's like to lose–since she's never done it.


	4. Unbeatable Champion, Undefeated Challenger pt.1

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So close to breaking away from the in game stuff! Her challenger number is 122. Got help from a guest with choosing but I deleted the chapter they commented on since the picture wasn't working. It's goroawase for hitsuji/sheep.  
> I dreamed of this chapter going a lot further along but the battles kinda got me slumped.
> 
> About the drawings: constructive criticism or suggestions are fine for her older self (that's her at 20 years old); because I'm worried about this, I want to clarify that I'm a woman so I'm not trying to be weird about making her curvy, that's just how I envisioned her coupled with me trying to copy the art style.

[Challenger Wooloo art](https://nevera-waste.tumblr.com/post/189403704955/trying-things-again)

[Champion Wooloo concept](https://nevera-waste.tumblr.com/post/189469959795/another-thing)

There was something alarming about waking up in a hotel room. Not that she'd become a wild child! But, at least out in a tent she didn't truly feel away from home. It was just camping. She only needed to stay their first all-paid night at the Budew Drop Inn to know which she preferred.

It seemed like they'd be getting accommodations at a five star hotel after the preliminary matches and Wooloo already anticipated the feeling of being in a foreign environment.

She flipped to the picture after the Rose of the Rondenlands Hotel one and thought she felt eyes on her. Nothing was weird about it though as Hop had been chatting away. It was just a pause.

The train supplied background noise and she tapped her foot again when she became too aware of her surroundings. Next picture... If Hop hadn't been as focused, she was sure he would have joined in since they always did for each other–first as a monkey see monkey do, but later it lost that meaning and became its own thing.

"You get it, right?" he leaned far towards her, demanding her eyes on him. Surprisingly, she didn't even flinch at the sudden jump. "You and me are gonna make our match there the greatest match that ever was!"

An older couple giggled and elbowed at each other before Hop got his reply from Wooloo. He sat down quickly and awkwardly as she spoke, "what about becoming stronger? You don't want this to be your best match."

She was smirking at him, though noticed his chagrin, "of course it'll be a great match," and she thought she was easing his distress by reaching to touch his arm, but he recoiled and his eyes slid sideways to the once again giggling passengers. She'd definitely felt Hop staring at her earlier, but maybe it wasn't just him, and maybe those other eyes had been sneaking glances at the two of them and their personal interaction.

"Are you two a couple?"

"Going up against your girlfriend? It's challenger Wooloo, eh?"

The adults bombarded at them, the husband being the one to say the most and assume the most.

"That's none of your business!" Hop snarked at them.

Wooloo was taken back by the boy's rude tone–the man scoffed it off, not about to lose his jolly nature, "you're quite a beautiful young girl. Seems like you've got yourself a handful with the Champion's little brother!"

"He'll grow out of it, boys always do," the wife commented, almost assuringly. They'd both started focusing in on Wooloo.

And Wooloo was confused about this as well. Sure, they were wrong to say that Hop and her were dating, but everyone kept saying it. Or asking (more frequently the further and therefore more popular they got in the gym challenge). It made her a little uncomfortable, which she wasn't quite able to place why, but she only knew to smile and, well, if everyone assumed it...

"We're not together! I'm going to be straightforward with you lot, those are some inappropriate words you've been using!"

"Inappropriate?" the woman questioned and it could have started out innocent but her husband laughed, as if Hop were a small child using a big word he didn't understand. His laugh must have been infectious to her as she joined in too, minorly suppressing it.

Train Passengers Julia and Mark had challenged Hop–in his mind at least. It didn't seem like Wooloo would be backing him up but he didn't care! He hated that it was okay for them to say such creepy things! Wooloo didn't even get it. Hop knew though, that this was some kind of damaging media thing: that it had been a rumour for awhile and the times he forgot about the presence of those pondering eyes on them both, things like this would happen. Other times, he got so worried about it that it made things weird with Wooloo. It wasn't like he already had other important things on his mind, like, who knows, winning the title of Champion! Then maybe people would call him by his name instead of the Champion's brother, because he would be the Champion!

Hop was heaving and he really would have liked to give that guy an earful. However he had just blacked out into his thoughts, it seemed; theoreticals. Anger. A loss of words. The couple had grown disinterested and gone back to normal conversation. The sweat in his clenched fists...he didn't feel great afterwards and now there was nothing to be done about it.

The snowy stretch towards Wyndon helped Hop cool off. And his spirits were high again!

Though, and this was another downer on top of things: there were several trainers toeing around the slope. And some of them did challenge him and he'd already learned to believe in himself after wiping the floor with Raihan. There remained a few that looked right past him. Judging by how much longer Wooloo took, not only did the people that challenged him probably want to heal up and fight her, she probably got challenges from the rest of them too.

He simply waited for her and joined her side: cue them both sprinting together into the grand city that was nothing like either of them had seen before! It was a short run but it resulted in a slight breathlessness in Hop's words (so the city didn't get full credit), "all right! Wyndon City! This is the place where I become a legend at last!"

With heightened energy, Hop of course went into a spiel.

Here was this new city, and Wooloo was certainly going to need to explore it.

It echoed old times that Hop would be waiting for Wooloo in the place they were meant to go while the girl kept putting things off. He'd finish his grand speech and run off. Kinda made her think of his brother, actually.

The city was only so big though, and sooner than later Wooloo was closing in on the stadium. A person in passing commented about the intimidatingly large amount of people.

There was little fanfare on the outside of the stadium, however. She was hollered at about league cards, and her eyes only grazed some more merch that other vendors had set up. Immediately outside was a little girl cheering on the Champion. That wasn't a fight she was going to have to worry about today though. Although–although, worried wasn't the right word. If she lost, she was still a Pokémon trainer. Wooloo wasn't half as spirited as that one gym leader, Raihan, that vowed to continue at this.

She stopped before the automatic doors, which peeled open farther up the building than she'd expected. A tremendous amount higher than that, Wooloo leaned her head back and saw the curve of the onion-like building disappear. It created a cut off line with the sky that was broken up with the tips of the red petals. Oh, it was a giant rose!

"Careful that the doors don't start to close," one of the staff members warned. It was enough to get Wooloo inside.

Hop was in the immediate site line. On his phone, evidentally waiting for her at the desk. One of those things was weird. It did give Wooloo a second wherein she heard Marnie's voice to her right.

"This is it. I really made it," her attention was nabbed, "there might be four remainin' in the semifinals...but I'm the one who's gonna win through and battle the Champion." Wooloo wanted to say hi yet upon realizing Marnie was talking to her Morpeko, turned to her left. Ah, the Ball Guy!

It seemed to make the person under the suit happy so she joined the two small children and gave a little cheer at the mascot's energetic exclamations. The Ball Guy took notice, "hey there! Thanks for rolling by to have a chat with your mate–the Ball Guy!"

The Ball Guy took time to work another type of Pokéball in, "I can tell that you're following your dreams! And do you know what that means?" the kids were invited to guess.

The boy shouted "Sleepy Pokéball!"

And the girl, "she's gonna get a Dream Pokéball!"

"You guessed it! Here you are! Hey dreamer, isn't that your friend waiting for you? And yet you made time for little old me!"

"Yeah, he'll understand," she gave the mascot a genuine smile.

Before she had to announce her presence, a few fans did it for her. From the second floor excitedly looking down and around at the challengers they'd only seen on tv, she distinctively heard two voices, one saying her name and the other remarking something or other.

Hop lowered his phone enough for her to see his brother's name and back and forth texts. "Reception desk," he motioned behind him, "turns out I was the first to register for the Champion Cup." She peeped another text from the Champion pop up. "In other words, I'm already number one. It's pretty much in the bag that I'll win this thing!" Another message. "Ah, hold on. Guess I'm popular already..."

"The Champion would want you to be popular."

"I don't look at your phone. Though I'm one hundred percent sure you only text me," Hop mumbled, quietly only out of concentration while he typed a reply. "By the way!" he was done writing, "get ready to run into a wall when Lee's no longer Champion and you keep calling him that!"

"You tried to warn me."

"Yup. But you built your bridge and now you're gonna be defeated on it."

She let him have the last word, though she laughed last. Wooloo stepped up to the receptionist and had her badges checked.

Hop and her got to exchange some more words (these ones making it more obvious the competition was friendly) before Wooloo found herself seperated from him for outfit changing reasons, then furthermore so that they could fight their seperate battles. Wooloo first appearently.

Please head to the stadium pitch when you are ready.

Party  
1\. Tide: Inteleon ♂ (lvl 70)  
2\. Zenith: Toxtricity ♀ (lvl 62)  
3\. Hotcake: Mantine ♂ (lvl 61)  
4\. Nezuko: Ninetales ♀ (lvl 60)  
5\. Victori: Corviknight ♀ (lvl 60)  
6\. Crème Brûlée ♀ (lvl 55)

Only issue was, she didn't know who she was up against because someone didn't update the roster!

Without a way to actually prepare, she walked around the room a bit, exclaimed "alright" and went out there. She hadn't been nervous until that walk between the waiting room and the stadium. Somehow, they'd changed the atmosphere in that corridor, whoever designed this place.

The unified voices became clear once Wooloo got out the other end. Over there...black twintails were on the other side. Then the shape that was distinctly Marnie started walking and Wooloo realized a few steps behind that they were to walk out together. Marnie's pep talk earlier must have helped get her really fired up, if she'd been waiting on Wooloo!

"Don't take any of this personally, but I knew you'd get the badges and meet me here, so I trained my Pokémon with kickin' your butt in mind. Then, of course the Champion's but–first you."

"Oh.."

"Yeah yeah, we've got a lot between us, don't think I'm forgetting all that!"

Wooloo relaxed–only a little since Marnie obviously didn't want her to be too familiar on the battlefield. She took what she was permitted and they went to their proper places.

Maybe it was because Marnie was two years younger that Wooloo was always left at least a little intimidated by her. A very bold twelve year old. It was a little hard to relate to her at that age gap already, but she seemed sweet!

Marnie let out Liepard, and Wooloo: Tide!

"She's a dark type trainer," Wooloo murmured behind her hand in reprimandment to herself. She didn't mean to say it out loud for the cameras to potentially catch. At least, Tide didn't appear to be in horrible danger against his opponent.

Marnie maybe quirked an eyebrow but didn't comment on that, "I've gotta win this if I'm gonna be Champion! I'm comin' at ya with everythin' I've got!"

Wooloo was going to have to switch out her Pokémon after Liepard was defeated, otherwise the natural flow of the battle would be for Marnie to land a hit on whoever Wooloo sent out there.

"Hydro pump!"

"Torment," Marnie delicately lifted an arm and said it later than the other girl, but Liepard was able to outmatch Tide in speed.

It let out a nasty hiss in a way that got under Tide's skin. After letting forth his own attack which did a good chunk of damage thanks to their level difference, he still seemed very tense.

"Snipeshot! Hang in there, Tide," snipeshot was surely his favourite move! And he seemed willing to do it, shooting a quick stream of water as if he were a spy! The opponent went down and so did her Sobble's mood again. "You did it," oh he did not take that well, peeved still from his subjected torment. While he was glancing back at her with frustration and Marnie was taking her fainted Liepard back into its ball, Wooloo did the same.

She hastily switched out for her Alcremie's Pokéball, to keep up with Marnie. Now Crème Brûlée could do some damage!

Marnie sent out Toxicroak. Oh no!

...

"That the same Alcremie you used against Raihan?" Hop later ran up to Wooloo. She hadn't had a super hard time with Toxicroak after sending her Corviknight out: though she'd stressed over switching mid-combat like that, it'd been the right choice as Corviknight slugged off a poison attack meant for Crème. She beat the rest of Marnie's Pokémon and still felt a little lightheaded. Everyone could see her fight, after all!

"Yeah," she managed. Hop just laughed at her being obviously a little out of it. (That was the fight where she had Crème use attract on a number of Raihan's Pokémon. On further thought, was it super embarrassing to do that and make his Pokémon stand there all goofy like?)

"Hey, seeing the way you battled, I can't accept any outcome besides winning this match!"

"Huh..? Sorry, I just...beat my rival?"

"Wha-? Mate, your head's in the clouds! And what do you mean, your rival?" He glanced at the exit to the stadium, his opponent might already be waiting, "you're not done here yet! And you're not making me rival-jealous," he quickly messed her hair up before dashing for the archway, already far too antsy, "my team's fired up because they're expecting a good match from you!"

Most things that happened immediately after her victory against Marnie, she couldn't quite remember. She did remember the hair thing though, fixing it just in time appearently as a staff member approached her.

Wow, Hop had been serious!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> What I'd like to know is whether anyone wants the battle with Hop to be written out or not? I'll also use this for future reference (of course not writing all the battles but at the very least, the one with Leon later and a few here and there).


	5. Undefeated Challenger pt.2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yep, the league staff members part. Someone please have mercy on my soul, that killed me to write. I hope I made it less tortuous to read (I even deleted the existence of one staff member)!  
> Also finally Leon.

"'We battled back in the garden, but I'm really fired up for this match'; and 'thanks Wooloo, I'm really glad you're the one here with me'. Did it give you Butterfrees in your stomach to hear all that?" A reporter fired off, bastardizing Hop's words right in front of him.

"Um, give me a moment?" The lady with her camera man partner smiled at her, though she began tapping her fingers. "I guess I don't get the question. It was an exciting match, if that's what you're asking," the lady immediately hummed, though it wasn't altogether pleasant with her mannerisms.

"Question number two! Have you ever lost a match?"

Now these two were definitely just trying to make a headline! Hop meant to intercept, though to his shock Wooloo was able to come up with an answer right away, "no. I haven't yet."

The question had obviously been meant to undermine her but now he wondered what they could even say about that! Who knew she hadn't lost a single battle.

"So there'll be a lot riding on you remaining undefeated, such as your continued popularity! Unfortunately you're up against the unbeatable Champion, kiddo! Maybe it's not your rival, but your rival's older brother that will be your first time," the reporter giggled in a palatable way for the camera that she looked back towards. And the camera man was obviously trying not to shake the camera with how funny he found it.

"Yeah, he might beat me," Wooloo added quickly. She continued to smile in her distress and though Hop didn't understand what the comment had meant, he recognized their laughter as being at his friend's expense and had a sinking feeling.

"Alright, this is tiring even me out! Why don't you let Wooloo rest up and come back with better questions tomorrow? No one else is bombarding her at the hotel..We've got dinner plans with someone, so sorry, but that's about it." The reporter so much as inhaled and Hop was back at her throat, "your questions were frankly rude."

"Totally get it. I only wanted to give her media support for her potential future sponsors," that was one disappointed reporter.

The two cleared out, and then it went back to Wooloo and Hop waiting for a certain Champion.

...Then the most tiring goosechase ensued, in which possibly all of Spikemuth had to get involved for a Champion recovery mission: Hop went through an impressive rollercoaster of feelings, from being hangry (directed at Piers who had to deliver them the news that his older brother was caught up in the first place), to excitement that overrided his sleep deprivement!

All of Spikemuth consisted of Marnie, Piers, and team yell members. They had been helpful in finding the corrupt league staff member, (though Wooloo was the only one who actually confronted him–and everyone would consider her a patient young trainer, but it was getting late and that simple fact was mostly all that was on her mind. Her sleep schedule was only a tad worse than Hop's, who slept at a reasonable hour all days but tonight. Marnie's special cheering was maybe the only thing keeping her sane at some point). The team yell members were able to tell her where not to look and finally they had the guy cornered for his final match with Wooloo!

Until he ran away again again, this time to the monorails.

Piers kept a cool head. Gave them all redirection. Once more.

Him and Marnie also seemed to come up with a plan that neither Hop or Wooloo realized was being schemed between the siblings; It was beyond agitating when they got to the station and saw four corrupt staff members lined up–though it crossed the two best friend's minds to team up and take them all on, it obviously could be seen as harassment to the regular pedestrians going about their night there.

Instead, Piers pulled a whole microphone out to start creating a different kind of ruckus–and Marnie, with a slight of hand trick, nabbed the key as the staff members were ambushed by a crazy crowd that flocked towards Piers.

Wooloo saw none of this trickery happen. "We got the key, Piers! We can take the monorail to Rose Tower now!" Marnie was hollering. The helpless friends followed her, confused out of their minds. But she truly had the key as evidenced by a new route becoming accessible.

To Rose Tower.

Hop took big easy strides; Wooloo didn't feel like running; Marnie's legs were just a lot shorter.

The boy made the short distance there first, marvelling at the building made of self-glorification. It had a similar theme to the stadium in that it was meant to represent Chairman Rose himself. That was either also the reason they built it almost a thousand feet tall, or they just really had that many operations for the Chairman to reign over. The largest part of the building meant for dynamxing was all the way up in the clouds and was dwarved by the many floors. It was as if the power spot the building had been built on gigantimaxed the whole thing.

In answer to Marnie asking the small group what they should do, Piers showed up from his impromptu station performance: they'd definitely been bumbling around a little too long. With more haste, they discussed plans for Marnie and Piers as well as Team Yell to station up outside. Hop and Wooloo were going in.

This wouldn't mess up her privilege to compete tomorrow, would it? Well, without a Champion to compete against, there wouldn't even be a match tomorrow! The friends had a quiet and short discussion of this as they got inside.

Before they could sneak onto the long elevator up to the Champion, Ms.Oleana's voice was on the dot, "intruder alert. Intruder alert." Oh, to their right! There was a lady that'd been at one of the desks and it seemed she'd contacted the Chairman's secretary. "All staff are ordered to help remove the intruders from the premise at once."

"They're going to be after us anyways," Hop logicked and opened the elevator for them, "so let's just get on this thing."

They hopped in for their first go.

She turned to face him, with her own thoughts, "we'll make them come find us and beat information out of them!"

"Wooloo-"

"I'm tired."

"..I can agree to both these things. Ah, things again? My words are already failing me. And we still have to get dinner after this! Oh, you meant beat as in a Pokémon fight. You just look like you want to beat someone up," he joked.

And here comes security. Hop exclaimed as much when the lift was stopped far from the top.

On marched two staff members. They didn't seem to be bad, as one of them said gently, "you two are gym challengers, aren't you? Thank you for participating, but that doesn't give you authorization to the Rose Tower!"

"This lift was built able to sustain a Pokémon battle," the other explained, "so this will be fine. If you won't leave peacefully.."

"Afraid not. We need to get up to the Chairman. You wouldn't happen to know where he is, would you?" He was already pulling a Pokéball from his pocket and giving it that signature loud cusp with his empty hand.

The night would consist of several double matches. Wooloo didn't get to say it, but, fighting on the same team felt great, like a change of pace. It was refreshing! There was the presence of uncertainty looming over Hop, Wooloo had noticed, something that she couldn't see the cause of. They had no easy way to bring it up with each other, so the further they went up and seemed to relax together, the more hyped she felt.

Stay on guard, Hop cautioned her upon the sobering scene of Ms.Oleana, back turned to them.

"Welcome to Chairman Rose's exclusive space. It was expected of you two to get here. That stubborn Champion picked you himself, didn't he?" when she turned around, she...seemed to be pouting strangely. It caught the young teens off guard, "don't- get comfy. You're going to be sent home." Ms.Oleana seemed to grow frantic, "I'm sending you home–you're going to go home now! Wooloo, you're first. I am going to beat you to pieces because I know that'll make the Champion sad! He'll have no one to battle tomorrow! And in that disheartened state, he will listen to the Chairm-"

Wooloo loudly bleeted out an "oh!", causing a vein to writhe on Ms.Oleana's forehead. Wooloo's face began to slowly turn red and she obviously didn't want the attention she suddenly got from the secretary.

A tired Hop pointed and laughed at Wooloo, "did you think she meant Lee would, would–just be sad if you were hurt?"

"It's because she said it like that!"

"That's not what I meant!" The secretary began screaming: a little unhinged. The two had just been kidding around but it was a lot more serious to Ms.Oleana.

The woman hastily threw Froslass onto the field. Wooloo fumbled in retaliation, quickly offering a Pokémon of her own for battle. Because she went a second later, she did get the advantage of throwing a counter to Froslass out: her Ninetales, Nezuko! Wooloo felt dynamax energy gather around her, confirming Hop's suspicion that there was a power spot underneath the building.

Ms.Oleana must be the final person to get through!

With Wooloo's growing energy, Hop was really starting to see the difference between them...An hour difference in their bedtime and it appearently meant she could exude vigor while he yawned on the sidelines! He saw an opportunity to sneak a peak at his phone while waiting for the supposed fight he'd have with the Chairman's secretary (it wasn't happening): no new texts from Leon. Just as expected. But that at least solidified that his brother was still being held hostage. Wait, was that even legal to keep someone this late for business matters? 'Pardon the intrusion on your boring business meeting' Hop typed between eyeing the ongoing Pokémon battle and he sent it because he had nothing else to do.

Leon, on the other end, held his firm expression despite the notification. "My duty as Champion isn't this...this madness. It's to carry out that Championship Match! That's what I want–that's what Galar wants!"

"What Galar wants today hardly matters! The future is more important than just one day! I've explained how we can avert this tragedy and move forward!"

"You made it very clear this is all to happen a thousand years from now! Fine..." Leon hated that the Chairman pushed him to losing his temper. They, did want the same thing, right? "Look, I understand. We can ensure the future generations are prepared for it and plenty strong. As you've been telling me. I'll personally help in any way I can–just as soon as tomorrow's match is over."

Something clicked and changed in the Chairman's expression. He no longer seemed like he could make use of the Champion. "You will not let word get out about this before then." Despite them coming to a conclusion of sorts, a frenzied worry shadowed over the Chairman's gaze starting from the crinkled corners of his eyes. He faced away from Leon and looked over the view of his Galar. Leon could've sworn he heard Rose's heart trying to calm itself. He was fearful of an odd thing, that was for sure. He evidently had nothing to say now to Leon so the Champion was stuck considering when and how to take his leave.

"Lee..." Hop's brow knitted a few different ways at the odd amount of silence between the Chairman and Champion. "You never showed when you were supposed to, so I got worried that something had happened..." that was a situational lie. He was a concerned brother, for sure, but they'd done a few things to get here that he now played innocent to in the presence of the Chairman. He'd have to tell Lee later that Piers, Marnie, and those Team Yell oddballs played a part in saving him from whatever this was.

The Chairman, if he knew the truth, was willing to play the same game, opening his stance to the newcomers, "I must apologize to you, Hop, if we've made you worry at all. There are times when adults just can't seem to have an honest discussion with one another. Sometimes our pride just gets in the way." (So he thought Leon was only insistent on the Championship Match to maintain his pride? It was a low jab that the Champion couldn't defend himself of in front of the young trainers).

"Never mind any of this, Hop, Wooloo. Let's head back to the hotel, and we'll all grab dinner together, yeah? It's on me so you can order whatever you fancy." Leon looked to Hop who gave a sleepy grin of approval. Of course his brother knew something was up but, ah well, the more willing Hop was to leave this in Leon's hands the better. His golden eyes met with Wooloo's.

In her defense she wasn't in on this silent communication thing or leaving well enough alone. The Champion was searching for something in her eyes and she didn't get the memo! She ended up staring back at him until he quirked a brow in worry at her. When he turned towards the Chairman to exchange final parting words, she felt her mind race with its own feelings about how long he had made eye contact with her!

"-And I do hope you'll watch tomorrow's match. It's sure to be one for the history books." The match was happening and it was going to be against Wooloo, Leon had decided! That's just the languid language between adults: he conveyed those very thoughts to Rose, the same way the older man had conveyed his own bitterness earlier. It came after his formal request to be excused; It was a declaration that the Champion shouldn't expect to have his lodgings provided by the Chairman this time around as Leon would have done well to never talk back.

They turned and though Leon, Hop, and Wooloo had the distance of the entire room to walk, the Chairman still managed to walk away as well. Closer again to his window over looking his region.

"Pardon the intrusion on your boring business meeting," Leon read aloud at the restaurant table.

"Yeah, we were just outside and that Chairman's secretary was screaming her head off. You didn't hear that?"

"Hop, pray tell what you di-"

Hop jerked his head towards the girl beside him, before resting again on his hand with fingers splayed over his eyelids.

"So it was you!"

"Yup, all Wooloo."

"But..you heard nothing?" Wooloo's voice followed after Hop's lethargic one. Persuasion steeped into her voice from an unsaid implication.

"Honestly, nothing. You're not suggesting I doubt my own brother's words, are you?"

She smiled at him from across the table with the start of a small shrug, "Hop is trying to say we teamed up with a buncha rowdy people and fought our way up to the top. That sounds like a fun night, but also a little illegal."

"It wasn't fun," Hop groaned.

"But I got to team up with you!"

That earned a closed-eyed grin from Hop. "Right, so we teamed up but it wasn't to fight off security because we weren't intruding."

"Yeah!"

"Lee, don't believe her, she isn't a good girl."

"Hop, I don't think she's lying," Leon said in a very serious tone, catching Hop off guard. The boy's eyes shot open and he was flabbergasted, then grumbling when he saw Lee's lighthearted smirk.

"Y'know, you have the biggest mouth in the whole region. Covers your entire face when you smile like that," Hop stated matter of factly, only sounding serious about it because he knew the two long enough to know they wouldn't think it was actually malicious.

It wasn't something the waiter attending their table would know, however. He looked genuinely troubled over whether or not he should be at their table, pen and paper in hand–he'd been ready to announce his presence a second ago.

"You have the same smile. It's charming," Wooloo spoke very polished and out of character, to ease the discomfort of the waiter and get Hop's attention once again out of la la land. (It was something they could also laugh about later). She moved to grab his mostly ignored menu and stack it on top of her's.

Leon smiled extra charmingly at the waiter–implementing the final piece needed for Hop's earlier remark to be forgotten with his eased expression towards his tablemates, "are you two ready to order?"

Wooloo let the question drift from her to Hop first, who tried to rub away the sleepiness blanketing his vision. "Not yet," she handed him back his menu, "uh, shoot. That's a lot of food. You...order before me, mate," and he handed it back without realizing she had her own.

"Can you come back in a few minutes? My apologies, my little brother has become something of a zombie."

"Oh no, don't apologize, sir. It must be past his usual bedtime. Pardon me."

As soon as the waiter was out of earshot, though, Leon allowed his guilt to show, "this is my fault." Hop snored lightly in reply, clonked out. "He was looking forward to celebrating this victory with you. You must already know that, though. If anything came from this night's events, I have to think it was the double battles you did together with him. I'll have to make it up to the both of you, but it means the world that you gave him a champion of a time. While I was..." he resisted the urge to pinch the bridge of his nose, annoyed about the situation. He should have rejected the Chairman's request altogether.

"Tied up with things," Wooloo supplied, to his surprise. "But you stuck it to the big man-"

Woahwoahwoah

"-and I think that made mHp mhppy," she stared down at the single digit he squashed against her lips–if she'd stopped talking, he had only meant to hold his finger up in a hush sign in front of her. "Ooh...I shouldn't.."

"Precisely."

"I forgot, with the media."

He gave her a gentle smile, hands now clasped together at ease on the table, "you're still learning. Which is a good thing, with your rising popularity. It makes me happy that there's still more I can teach you." He laughed and she looked at him with a face he recognized as charmed. Not his intention! In fact, it just made him feel bad with Hop being asleep and Wooloo only having himself to talk to. "Hop will always be your first teacher though, so I've heard."

"He's the reason I became interested in becoming a Pokémon trainer."

"The rest you were pulled into."

"Yeah, what's with you two. Making me become a rival to my own friend," she chuckled fondly, "and now you consider me a rival?"

"Isn't it great?" he teased with a faux air of condescending, trying to show his side that was more akin to 'pestering friend' if anything more than 'friend's older brother'.

"It'll only feel good if I beat you!"

"Hey now, you've been going around defeating enough rivals." He was poised to say something else when his peripheral caught site of the waiter.

There hadn't been any time to discuss what was to happen with Hop snoozing off, due to distraction. "May I take your order?" But the poor man was here for a second time. Perhaps he could get something neutral? Something that most people considered good? ...Which was what exactly.

"Yes. I can order for him," Wooloo pointed at Hop.

"That'll be alright. She's Hop's friend, after all!" Leon caught the question on the waiter's face: he'd been through this with Sonia as well, when they were younger. Everyone wanted to create a scenario for two people that were obviously close and they hated accepting friendship as their answer. Not tonight!

"Hmm..yeah, he was mentioning wanting to try this!" Wooloo seemed overjoyed at spotting the familiar name: she read it out loud. "He was already talking about it on the train," Wooloo laughed in the Champion's direction, knowing he needed context. She was able to list off the rest that Hop had seemed vaguely interested in, as well as one meal she was sure he'd like. She knew for a fact he'd want to order an excess since the Champion was treating.

"He's lucky to have a friend like you," the Champion commented; the waiter made a noise in agreement for the sake of being friendly. Then they were later taking the food to go, as if it were glorified take away. Which Wooloo thought was a good coincidence since the Champion was an attractive man! She didn't enjoy that the prospect of eating dinner with him only accompanied by a snoring Hop on the side made her nervous, but it did.

In that case, maybe attractive people were just intimidating. She could eat dinner alone with Hop and not that the reporters would ever get to know this but they held hands occassionally and had been each other's first peck on the lips years before realizing it was supposed to feel more enlightening when done with the right person.

Actually, that was the thought she kept sorting through whenever the random person came out of the woodworks to ask if they were dating. There was never a nervousness lingering around when they were younger, but maybe it wasn't supposed to exist? The worry about not being perceived as attractive back because you're attracted to the other. That seemed like an accurate description of the nervous feeling!

Oh, maybe that was just called being shallow...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Part three will be the last of the same title. Also they hold hands because I've literally played footsies as well as played with my friend's hands. It can be mutually platonic! It's slowly getting to Wooloo though since the universe seems to be trying to push her to being with her childhood friend: she's just fourteen, going through the motions of growing up!


	6. Unbeatable Champion pt.3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here we go with some stuff that didn't happen in game!!

Leon had Wooloo carry the food while he carried Hop on his back. For his sake, she was also leading the way to Hop's hotel room. Even if she did mess up a few times and had to turn them around it only took a minute more. (She still felt a little flustered from it, if not for the misdirection itself then for the way she had to face the Champion to explain it quietly, because of the hour, and he would halfway kneel so he was a little closer to her level–he never seemed angry about it at all, either).

Getting to the door, she scrambled to get it situated with Hop's card. It didn't matter to her two companions how long she took but for her efforts, it was only two seconds.

Leon waited longer anyways, "you first."

Certainly, the time was insignificant to anyone but her! Wooloo was just all too aware of it: the time that had stretched on since the restaurant, and the fleeting seconds that passed by everytime the Champion said anything to her.

"It should be fine to put him to bed as is...He'll forgive me—He'll just be happy we put his food away."

She seemed to have gotten the food put away in between what Leon was saying, since they turned expectantly to the other at the same time after finishing their tasks.

Nothing much could be said about the way Wooloo opened the empty fridge and put stuff in it. She gasped, however, upon seeing the tufts of fur on Hop's jacket bunched up at his neck.

"He'll overheat," Wooloo reasoned since it was the second thing that came to mind–she was already rushing over to go fix it. The first thought was just how plain uncomfortable it looked (despite the light and relaxed upwards curves of his mouth). She peeled back his neatly tucked blanket and the Champion didn't try to get in the way at all, only making a verbal cue to his surprise.

He hadn't wanted to take Hop's jacket off for some worry it would be invading his space, but Wooloo seemed to understand the impracticality of thinking too much about it. It just needed to be done.

"You've got the knack for being an older sister," Leon chuckled, seeing the no fuss way she shucked his jacket off and set it aside before trying to get Hop readjusted again. It was only a little regrettable once it left his mouth. He'd meant it because he remembered she was a year or so older than his brother. Although it was shot down by both of the young trainers, it would be an unfortunate comparison if, say, there was a bit of a romantic love there or the potential for it.

"Not everything's a competition." That brought him back, but out of confusion. Wooloo explained immediately, "I'm already competing with the whole family for the title of Champion, I don't need to," she shrugged, filling in the blank with eye contact that really didn't help her finish her sentence, "to beat you at being Hop's older sibling."

He agreed with a gentleness in word and expression, "no, that's not a title I'm willing to give up anyways."

A kind of softness that unconsciously graced his eyes and lips.

In that moment, it was evident to even Leon that Wooloo got lost in his eyes. He was quickly catching a trend that pointed to one clear conclusion. 

There was nothing to be done about it now, he wouldn't try to act differently like he had at the restaurant. Puppy love was impossible to shake prematurely.

It wasn't ultimately shocking, either. Even if she was his brother's friend and a fierce challenger who initially held no infatuation towards him. He had a lot of young admirers–they made Leon feel older than he was while the responsiblity of being in the spotlight made him realize turning eighteen meant taking on all the expectations of an adult with whatever experience childhood had given him; a sentimence over leaving the latter behind for a future he turned excitedly to: It basically balanced out.

Though, again, in situations like these he felt so, so much older than he was.

"Speaking of Hop, perhaps I should have coddled him more when he was younger. Now he won't stop growing taller and I fear he'd bite my head off if I ever balk on giving him more independence, now that he's got that endorsement. But, taking off his jacket for him was the right move. Leave it to his closest and bestest friend."

She couldn't help but beam at his approval.

The automatic relief that washed over her from the Champion's own ease must have meant he didn't notice her mind going blank when their eyes met and the seconds she lost just staring back. The awkwardness was only in her head! 

She replied with some regained ease herself, though they hadn't meant to make a conversation out of dropping Hop off so it essentially ended there. They left him with his key and Leon walked Wooloo to her room on the same floor. There were so many doors inbetween that it got dizzying for Leon: so it was like the giant crack in the wall right outside her room was his boulder. One could say that...

"How could they not fix this?" He glared at it.

"The lady said it just happened..." she nudged her Rotom's pocket and it flew by for her with the current time, "a few hours ago. When Hop and I were waiting. You know, an excited Pokémon.."

"No, I don't know," he still really didn't seem impressed that they were making her stay in a room that had sustained damage, even if just to the exterior.

"Came along and.." but she was kind of having fun now, with the situation, "bopped it. It had a Champion of a time."

She giggled at his sigh. Though he had high standards, Wooloo really didn't see an issue, maybe in her naivete. It was still the only thing yet that she saw him not be thrilled about and that's the whole reason (along with her tiredness) that she found it funny.

Their goodnights were short, Wooloo lost to giggling after everything and Leon hit with a tiredness now that things were settled.

He had booked a room on their walk to the restaurant since Hop and Wooloo naturally fell into step and all Leon had to do was make sure he didn't fall too far behind and lose sight of the two that actually knew their way around. It had been a horrible plan originally because the hotel was booked full of challengers and the people who wanted to watch the challengers tomorrow. Then a spot opened up due to a lucky cancellation and now the horribleness was solely riding on Leon not knowing his way to his room.

He'd think he was going in the right way, only to see that the numbers had been descending, and after a while of that, it was that the side he was sure his room would be on had all the even numbers and his room was an odd number.

And he'd tried finding help at the desk but to no avail.

Then he passed by the all consuming crack on the wall for the umpteenth time.

It would ruin Wooloo's day as well, if the Champion she was bound to be up against didn't get any sleep that night.

That was an assurance but he still didn't like intruding. But he also had a pestering knowledge that there were two beds a room in the hotel's luxurious five star floorplans.

If she didn't answer his knocking, he would find some other more sane means to sleep. Ignoring the fact that he knew Hop to be a heavy sleeper and he had lost the whereabouts of his room anyways, Leon still felt guilty about going to his brother's friend for help first.

He knocked on the door, his knock retaining its usual energy.

The Pokémon trainer that met him on the other side shortly was tamed from her earlier high. She was also missing her hat, which was more noticable than her standard pyjamas.

"Champion," she greeted with a relaxed joy. "You actually remembered my room number."

"I used a little memory trick. You wouldn't happen to be able to get me into Hop's room, would you?" It was a sudden change of plans but...

"Oh, that. That's impossible. He has the only key," Wooloo yawned out the last bit, stretching the words lazily and covering them with her hand. It of course made her visitor yawn in return, "sorry."

"No, it's late, I shouldn't be keeping you from your sleep. The audience will be counting on you to show them your best."

"Wait, what did you need? Did Hop have something of yours..?" She jostled when he'd been making to leave just as suddenly as he'd arrived.

"Don't worry about it."

"But I'm already worried."

"It's honestly nothing-"

"Now it's my everything."

Now, this is what Hop meant about Wooloo's trickery with words. It wasn't the phrases themselves that were impressive, it was that, though playful, she was pouring as much energy as she could into conveying her actual concern. Maybe a hint of exaggerated concern.

"It'll be fine, even if you're worried over it, though there's no use in worrying. I'm an adult, I should be able to handle it. What's more important is that you're not stressed into an unfit state for your upcoming battles."

"But what if it's all a perceived problem and I have the answer? Come on in."

Wooloo shuffled back, creating a space she was waiting for him to come in an occupy.

At this point he opted just to tell her, since she inherently had a solution in that room and he already closed the door behind him and this had originally been the plan. After his other plans fell through.

It was hardly a fuss from there. Two beds and two very tired, absolutely exhausted Pokémon trainers. It just fit together well. Wooloo practically melted into her bed and didn't seem like she'd wake up if he'd called out to her. Maybe she hadn't been asleep earlier. ...

...It lasted for an hour until Wooloo woke up, her downtime only counting as a nap. She dug around in her backpack for her Ninetales' Pokéball in need of a cuddle buddy.

...

...Nezuko was now not waiting in bed for her owner to wake up.

As this slowly became more appearent through Wooloo's sleep clouded eyes, she breathed sharply and let it out in a sigh of relief, seeing the Ninetails just at the foot of her bed. "Good morning, cutie," she cheered and got a confused "huh" in reply.

Wooloo sharply turned to her left, where a half awake Champion genuinely seemed to have not heard her. That was fine.

Interestingly, she saw large waves of wrinkled fabric around him, unlike the pristine look of his bed that had always been visible and empty when she went up to Hop's to play games. The brother's beds looked alike now.

It was within that same observation that she saw a certain cream coloured fox jump into view. Faster than her stalling vocabulary, her Ninetales had acquainted itself with the uneven terrain of the bed and begun to sniff at the young man's face.

Leon evidently felt the weight of Poképaws on his chest and a wet nose at his eye. The thing to wake him up occupied his widening vision and had left something of a kiss on one eyelid. Then the Pokémon, as he came to distinguish, was beamed away, back into its Pokéball.

He caught up to speed with where he had slept the rest of the night, reminded this wasn't the usual arrangement in the Chairman's guest bedroom. "Who was that? Also, good morning."

"I can't tell you because she's gonna be on my team, good morning!"

"Then, it's good to know the competition is friendly."

Leon sat up; got a good look at the complete disarray of his bedding and then his immediate concern was how to play it off cool.

"She doesn't have any bias. Even if she likes you, Nezuko won't show it at all on the field!" He didn't need to worry since Wooloo didn't seem to care, now excitedly chanting, "let's invite Hop over!" in a few varieties of the same nature.

It was the morning of a big event in her life so Leon couldn't blame her over-excitement to see the rival that had been with her through it.

"I'll cook as all breakfast then," he laughed. The amazement in Wooloo's bright eyes from hearing just those words!

...

"He always says that. It's just a joke," Hop prodded at Wooloo's side. Leon had ordered them all take away.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> No Competition: The tournament was easy enough for the trainer! But sadly there's No Competition.


End file.
